OK so where is Iran? Just puzzled! Pendraken sell Iranian cavalry separate to the general Persian ones. Now my ancient history Atlases (Times and an old Murray's Classical) simply say 'Iran f/c Persia' and other maps from the internet of the Achaemenid empire do not help. So, if Iran is not equivalent to Persia in BCE era where was it? ???
Persia, strictly, is ancient Parsa, modern Fars (same name), a province of Iran. "Iran" in ancient terms is modern Iran plus for most purposes Afghanistan and other neighbouring Iranian-speaking regions. Medes, Arachosians, Bactrians and so forth are Iranians but not Persians (even when under Persian rule).
Not sure who Pendraken's "Iranian cavalry" on armoured horses are supposed to represent. Horse-armour is limited in the Achaemenid period - satrapal guards like Cyrus the Younger's force, some Saka-Asian Skythians, maybe the best Bactrians etc.
Thanks Duncan, that sort of makes sense. I shall leave them identified as simply 'Iranian' for now.
By the time one gets to the Sasanians, "Iran" has taken on religious and political significance. Thus from the very start of the Sasanian empire, the Shah of Shahs regularly declares himself lord of Eran and Aneran, the latter being anything and anyone that is not "Eran"; ie speaking Persian or a close Iranic dialect, and with Zoroastrianism as their religion. So Armenia is Aneran, though a rather good bit as they embrace Zoroastrianism. Parthians are Eran.
Now, whether the Achaemenids took quite the same view 800 years earlier is of course debateable. Cyrus, of course, was quite popular with some ethnicities such as the Jews, precisely because he was not excessively chauvinistic on matters of religion and ethnicity, and proud to be master of a polyglot empire.
Quote from: DBS on Jun 22, 2025, 03:51 PMSo Armenia is Aneran, though a rather good bit as they embrace Zoroastrianism.
Until they don't.